| Micmac Quillwork |
| Micmac Indian Techniques of Porcupine Quill Decoration, 1600-1950 |
| Ruth Holmes Whitehead with and Appendix by Deborah Jewett |
The Micmac are often referred to as the "porcupine
people" because of their intricate and elaborate quill
work. This artistic embellishment was unusual and much
sought after. Quill work on bark is an ancient art. In the
Eastern Woodlands where the paper birch tree grows,
natives traditionally made all kinds of things from this
flexible bark including baskets, serving dishes, eating
utensils, and even fans and headbands.
Micmac Quillwork is the first major work on this art form
gives a comprehensive history of the craft from the
period of European contact to the present. The book is
divided into three sections. The opening chapters are a
comprehensive history of the craft, from the period of
European contact to the present, tracing the use of quill
weaving, embroidery, plaiting, wrapping, and the rise of
the technique known as bark-insertion. As bark-insertion
was the only type of quilling to survive into the 19th and
20th centuries, the book's main emphasis is on this
variation. Section Two covers materials, construction,
ornamentation techniques, with Section Three an
exhaustive record of quillwork designs. Comparisons are
made to similar motifs in other Micmac media. An
appendix discusses known quillwork artists; another
deals with the conservation of quillwork. There is an
extensive bibliography.
people" because of their intricate and elaborate quill
work. This artistic embellishment was unusual and much
sought after. Quill work on bark is an ancient art. In the
Eastern Woodlands where the paper birch tree grows,
natives traditionally made all kinds of things from this
flexible bark including baskets, serving dishes, eating
utensils, and even fans and headbands.
Micmac Quillwork is the first major work on this art form
gives a comprehensive history of the craft from the
period of European contact to the present. The book is
divided into three sections. The opening chapters are a
comprehensive history of the craft, from the period of
European contact to the present, tracing the use of quill
weaving, embroidery, plaiting, wrapping, and the rise of
the technique known as bark-insertion. As bark-insertion
was the only type of quilling to survive into the 19th and
20th centuries, the book's main emphasis is on this
variation. Section Two covers materials, construction,
ornamentation techniques, with Section Three an
exhaustive record of quillwork designs. Comparisons are
made to similar motifs in other Micmac media. An
appendix discusses known quillwork artists; another
deals with the conservation of quillwork. There is an
extensive bibliography.
|
peibooks.ca
Box 1541, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N3 Canada
| Sharing Prince Edward Island books with the world. |
| _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ruth Whitehead |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ RELATED INTEREST |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SEARCH THIS SITE |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ HOME | NEWS AND EVENTS | LINKS | MAIL ORDER FORM | ORDERING INFORMATION | TERMS | CONTACT US We reserve the right to make changes to pricing, quantity and conditions at any time without prior notice. By using our services, you are subject to our terms and conditions. Copyright 2009, Prince Edward Island Books and Publications. All rights reserved. |
| Canadian Addresses: |
| U.S. Addresses: |
To search this site, enter a book title,
author's name or keyword in the white
box, then click the "Search" button.
author's name or keyword in the white
box, then click the "Search" button.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| An Island Owned and Operated Business |
| Winner of the 1988 Canadian Historical Society's Regional Award of Merit. |
Major collections in Canada, Great Britain, and the United States were examined and catalogued;
additional collections were researched in France, Ireland and as far away as New Zealand. Over 3,000
record photographs were taken, and from these have been chosen the 500 black-and-white illustrations and
32 colour plates, most of them never before published.
additional collections were researched in France, Ireland and as far away as New Zealand. Over 3,000
record photographs were taken, and from these have been chosen the 500 black-and-white illustrations and
32 colour plates, most of them never before published.
